While the idea of wearing a costume may seem childish, dressing up for Halloween brings the spooky spirit to a new level for college students.
Halloween is celebrated as a cultural observance, given that it is not a nationally recognized or federal holiday. However, its prominence is evident throughout the nation, as the Statista Research Department concluded that around 72% of Americans planned to celebrate in 2024.
Americans often celebrate Halloween by trick-or-treating, engaging in frightening activities and wearing a costume.
A person’s costume choice often reveals aspects of their personality and uncovers parts they may not have been aware of. This subconscious act serves as an opportunity for people to learn new things about themselves or reflect on things they already do.
Since college is generally known as a time for self-discovery, dressing up for Halloween can assist students in achieving this objective.
It also raises the opportunity for college students to feel nostalgia and comfort as they are away from home. Holidays are very special for a child, but that fascination is prone to fade as a person matures. In the adjustment period of college, young adults can benefit from tapping into those childlike experiences again.
While the basis of Halloween remains the same, college offers the chance to explore it in a different environment. Instead of trick-or-treating, there are different social events on and off campus that can foster new relationships, such as communal gatherings in a dorm or exploring restaurants and shops in Milwaukee.
Children spend Halloween walking neighborhood streets and getting scared by decorations on lawns. They observe others’ costumes while wearing their own, and they search for houses with the porch light on, trying to accumulate the most amount of candy.
On the other hand, college students spend Halloween socializing with people in their dorm, at costume parties or other activities across campus.
Group costumes can also help bring people together, creating a place for people to feel welcome and included. Organizing these costumes can strengthen friendships and create fun memories to look back on. Given the creativity expressed through costumes, they can also be great conversation starters that allow new relationships to form.
Students are under plenty of pressure from coursework, extracurriculars and balancing a social life, so dressing up provides the psychological benefit of escapism. Whether a person is going through a difficult time or desires a break from responsibilities, Halloween is a great getaway. Since the holiday falls on a Friday this year, it is easier for students to celebrate on the actual day.
The process of choosing a costume is a creative outlet that allows participants to utilize their imagination. The product of this imaginative thinking cultivates a positive mindset.
A costume can also increase confidence, as it serves as a shield for someone’s true personality. This perceived barrier helps some people feel safe to act freely and authentically, without a fear of judgement.
Confidence can help someone express themself, be more social and take risks they would normally shy away from. This benefit is not limited to the duration of the costume, either. This can overflow into someone’s everyday life.
Costume choices serve as assessments of one’s personality and character throughout the years. The costume choices may or may not have changed, but Halloween is a chance for students to experience the holiday in a different chapter of their lives.
Dressing up is a tradition that brings back childhood memories and allows students to create new ones. Don’t sit in your dorm on Halloween night; have some frightful fun.
This story was written by Amelia Lerret. She can be reached at [email protected].
